


Remember Me As I Was

by Doctor_Benzedrine



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Alien Refugee, Badass Reader who’s good at science, College Student Reader, Cybertronian Senate, Deadpool voice: now that’s just lazy writing, Dreams, Eventual Conjux Endura relationship, Experimental Style, F/M, Functionalist Cybertron, Intertwined Fates, Jhiaxian Academy of Advanced Technology, Kidnapping, Memory Exchange, Pre-Empurata Shockwave, Reader is one of five people in her apartment building, Summer Vacation, Weird science with Shockwave, Wrong Continuity Usage of a Transwarp Drive, told through flashbacks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-02
Updated: 2018-11-21
Packaged: 2019-06-01 12:25:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15143051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doctor_Benzedrine/pseuds/Doctor_Benzedrine
Summary: He listened to Orion Pax’s plea, and he fled. He didn’t know where he was going, or even if any alien would show him kindness, but he needed to get off Cybertron.That’s where he found you — a down on her luck college student forced to take classes during the Summer to catch up in her program of choice. Crashing into your apartment building’s front yard, you decide on a whim to take in a Cybertronian refugee.Little do you know the other Senators are hot on your tail, which could mean trouble — not just for Shockwave, but for you and your planet.____________________________________Years later, you’re working for the Earth Defense Command in their science department of course. Your base is infiltrated by Decepticons and you are forced to give yourself up. Little do you know, your Shockwave is closer than you think.





	1. Chapter 1

‘If there’s anyone out there receiving me, help. This is Senator Shockwave of Cybertron. I have been deemed a criminal for speaking and seek refuge. Please, I don’t know how much-‘

Unsettled, you awaken. These dreams follow you everywhere. You haven’t gotten a good nights sleep or been able to focus in class for weeks. These words fill your head constantly, repeating, like a broken record. You can’t get any peace and quiet. Maybe you’re just crazy — or maybe your fate has crossed paths with another. Whatever it may be, whomever or wherever this Shockwave of Cybertron is, you need this to stop.

You wipe your hair out of your sweat drenched face and glance at a blaring alarm clock. There’s no point in trying to get back to sleep. Groggily, you pick yourself out of your unkempt bed, and shuffle to your dormitory’s resident kitchen. During the school year, this room would be crowded to the brim, but during the Summer the kitchen, much like your apartment building itself and your classes, is completely empty. Letting out an exasperated sigh, you preheat the oven and slid onto the kitchen counter, leaning against a set of cabinets. 

There’s the voice again. You cover your ears and cry out, hoping for some relief, but nothing. Maybe if you distract yourself you’ll feel better. Hesitantly, you pace back to your apartment building to grab your instrument of choice: an old, warn out laptop computer. Opening ITunes, a plethora of indie rock fills the air. It’s on low volume, but loud enough to distract you from your thoughts. You wouldn’t want to wake the other five students residing in your building up. 

Finally, the oven preheats and you slide some biscuits in, fully intending to eat all 8 of them. As you’re waiting for the biscuits to finish cooking, the voices in your head get louder - more clear, as if they were closer.

“STOP IT! SHUT UP!” You exclaim, frustrated. “I CANT HELP YOU! LEAVE ME ALONE!” In your frustrations, the oven goes off. It’s loud, blaring even. You grab the biscuits and cover your ears once more. You don’t know how much longer you can take this. It’s ruining you, your hearing, your mentality. You can’t focus, you can’t even relax, or listen to the sound of an oven’s alarm. Then, the unthinkable happens. There’s a loud boom that comes from outside, forcing your building, and your core to shake. Your heart races and your curiosity gets the best of you. You decide to go outside to investigate. 

Grabbing a biscuit, you walk outside, only to drop it, your mouth following suit. A twenty foot tall robot emerges from the ground, shakily standing up on two legs.

“S-Senator Shockwave.” You utter with trepidation. “I-it’s you.”

“Hello,” he responds with a smile, his voice shaky. “Human?” The figure responds in a questionable tone. “That’s perfect! No one will suspect Earth.” He glances at a tablet of sorts, studying it curiously. “2018? My transwarp drive was functional. Wonderful.”

You’re awe-struck at the giant blue figure. He’s monologuing. He doesn’t understand the situation at hand. He’s an alien. Any normal person would call the authorities, panic, but you know him. He’s been an intrusive thought at the back of your head for weeks now. “I’ve lost sleep over you. I’ve spent the last few weeks wondering if you were real, or if I was crazy. I’ve been late to class after class, had nightmare after nightmare, and you’re here? You’re actually here.” 

“I’m sorry.” He responds, still exhausted. “My transmission must have been faulty. I didn’t intend any ill-will. I’m just at a loss, and to be honest, for the first time in my lifetime, I need help.” 

“I’m a human being. You’re a - large robot? How do you possibly think I could help? I should call the police - the CIA - the FBI - Scully and Mulder - someone.” 

“Autonomous robotic organism to be precise.” He leans down to meet your height, a smile upon his face. “There’s no need to call your authorities. I just need a place to stay, and resources. I’m running, and I’m afraid. I’m sure you can relate. Your Earth has Energon in its confines. You can help me by collecting it, and allowing me to stay here, low profile. I promise I won’t interfere with your studies any longer. In fact, I could probably help you, if you help me that is.” 

You think for a moment, formulating a proper response. “Fine. You’ve got yourself a deal, Senator, but under a few conditions. You can’t look like *that.* If people see a giant anime looking robot, they’re going to panic. Secondly, you have to let me sleep, and I mean a full eight hours. Third, you have to agree to not get me involved in whatever you’re dealing with. I don’t have time to protect a giant robot from other giant robots, and I think I would probably get squished. Most days I may wish to be dead, but I don’t have any desire to be killed by a robot.”

He laughs, and nods his head, holding out what you believe to be a hand. You shake one of his fingers. “I promise to be covert. In fact-“ What the senator does next surprises you. He transformers into a vehicle, one that actually looks like it’s from Earth, something heavy duty - and totally badass. You grin. 

“That works, really.” 

“Now, what was it you said about rest?” The Senator sees you off, and for the first time in a long time, you feel like you’re going to get a good night’s rest. You have no clue what the effects of hiding an alien robot on a college campus are going to be, but it’s sure to be an adventure, and you’re excited.


	2. Wistful Nostalgia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You don’t get paid enough to lead around a group of bratty teenagers, and you certainly don’t get paid enough to be kidnapped by a Decepticon. You think of what lead you here in the first place and begin to miss your Senator Shockwave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Experimental style! Let me know if this makes sense!
> 
> Instead of writing this piece in two parts I decided to try to write it through flashbacks and time skips.

“Welcome to the Earth Defense Command,” you greet eagerly, observing the faces of teenagers on their phones who look unamused, and their apologetic teacher. “What if I told you that at the end of the tour you get free food - so long as you pay attention that is!” Suddenly their faces are slightly more excitable and you grin. “I am (y/n) and I am a member of our science department here! Can anyone tell me what we do here?” 

Crickets mentally play in your head and you sigh. “Anyone?” Someone enthusiastically raises their hand. “You make sure alien robots don’t kill us.”

“Essentially, yes, but there’s more to it than that!” Nothing. You sigh and wonder if doing these tours is even worth the extra pay. “Right, who wants to see our armory?” Suddenly, there’s more of an interest. That’s the key. “Alright, great! Follow me! Remember: no touching. Feel free to take photographs and dab near our weaponry all you like-“

“Dabbing isn’t cool anymore. No one dabs.”

“Right, uh - nae nae?”

“Wrong again.”

“T pose!”

“No one is going to t pose in front of a gun, Miss.” 

“I can do without the sass-“ It’s not worth the effort as you make your way into the armory. “Welcome to our armory. Here is where we store all of the EDC’s weapons! All of these weapons are invented on site! Of course we utilize Cybertronian technology as well as a plethora of Earth technology! You may not know this but we work alongside the Autobots to ensure our devices work!”

“Have you ever met Optimus Prime?” One kid asks.

“Yes I have! He complimented me on my tie!”

“What about Jazz? He’s my favorite!”

“Oh Jazz is the best. He has great music tastes.”

“What about Sunstreaker? He’s so dreamy!” You laugh. 

“One of the perks to this job is I regularly interact with the Autobots. Although they are twenty to thirty feet tall, they’re just like you and I!”

“Which one is your favorite?”

“Ratchet. He signed my textbook for me in grad school; still one of my proudest moments.” You fangjrl with the students and giggle, blushing ever so slightly, but in the back of your mind you can’t help but remember the Cybertronian who starteit all - Senator Shockwave. You wonder if he remembers you at all, which leads to your wistful nostalgia.

________________________________________

“Senator,” You begin, sitting in your counterpart’s lap. “Do you miss Cybertron?”

“How many times have I asked that you call me Shockwave? There’s no need to be so formal.” He laughs and you can’t help but giggle as you lean into his chest plates. “Of course I miss Cybertron, but I am getting used to your Earth. I find your species to be beautiful. You are so intelligent, whichi is shocking. In terms of organics, you’re a fairly new species.”

“New? We’ve been around for millions of years.”

“And so have I, but I’ve been around longer.” He grins. “I was around before your species came to existence, your Earth even.” 

“So you’re telling me my best friend is an old man?”

“It doesn’t work like that, not to worry.” Shockwave laughs. “Though I do appreciate the sentiment. Your species is young and I am a fairly young Cybertronian.”

“At millions of years old?”

“Indeed. My superiors around 30 million years old.” He pauses. “Why the interest in Cyberton?”

“You haven’t told me much about your planet. All I know is that you’re from a different time and that your planet is inhabited by alien robots like you.”

“There’s a reason for that.” He sighs.

“I’m sorry,” you apologize. “You don’t have to tell me. I’m just curious.”

“It’s just vastly problematic. As I mentioned whenever we first met, it was my aim to rid society of a caste system, but my fellow senators didn’t agree with me. Functionalist Cybertron is not as wistful as you may believe.”

“Caste system huh? Sounds like humanity.” You grin and wink at your friend. 

“On Cybertron your talents are erased. You have no ability to climb the social ladder so to speak. If you are forged or constructed a Outlier or a bot with a beast mode you are ultimately degraded and forced into a job where you will not thrive but rather suffer.”

“Sounds a lot like the society I live in, actually.” You can tell Shockwave is getting uncomfortable and change the subject. “Tell me about your Cyberton then, the ideal Cybertron.”

“Once upon a time, there was a Cybertron where the arts and culture thrived, where a Outlier didn’t have to hide his abilities. This is the Cybertron of my mentor. I like to call it the Golden Age.”

“That sounds lovely.” 

“Truly,” he responds with a smile. “I was fighting for those ideals whenever I got caught. My friend, Orion Pax asked me to run. 

“Friend?” You inquire mischievously. “Are you sure the two of you weren’t an item?”

“No.” He responds simply. “I loved him, but it was never a Conjux Endura matter; if we would have both gotten to know each other better, perhaps I would have asked him to be my Amica Endura.”

“Conjux? Amica?”

“Simple terms for relationships - romantic and platonic.”

“Why is an Amica Endura special if it’s just a term for friendship? Wouldn’t we be Amica Endura if this were the case?”

“Not quite,” he responds with a laugh. “It is more than that. Whenever you deem “someone your Amica, you open your spark chamber for them — you show them your heart and publicly declare how much they mean to you.”

“So you’re opening your heart up to someone? You guys like metaphors.”

“Indeed.” Shockwave laughs. He quickly changes the subject. “Say, isn’t there an exam you are meant to be studying for? A final?”

“Yeah, but it really isn’t that important-“ Lying, you scratch your neck. 

“Of course it is. Whenever we met I assured you that I would not take you away from your studies. I was a professor once and only wish for you to succeed.”

“What’s the point in having an alien for a friend if he’s only gonna nag you and tell you to study?” 

“He encourages you to study and only wants you to succeed.” Shockwave states assuredly as you groan.

“But it’s so hard! What’s the point in studying science if I suck at it? Chemistry is quite literally killing me.”

“Do not sell yourself short.” Oh great. A pep-talk from an alien robot. “Our omsciences are far more advanced, but perhaps I can be of assistance.” 

“You’d do that for me?”

“Of course, but I do not think this position is ideal for such studies. Retrieve your textbook and I will meet you in my alt mode.”

“You’re going to study with me as a car?”

“Until you know the material well enough, yes.” He transforms and you rush inside, knowing that you have found a true friend in the senator. You are so very thankful and actually look forward to this study session. Perhaps it will lead to bigger things...

________________________________________

You aced that exam. You grin as you’re taken out of your thoughts to the sound of an alarm.

“Miss! Miss!” A voice calls out, tugging at your lab coat. 

“H-huh?” You rub your eyes and realize what the alarm means. You’ve been compromised! “Oh SHIT!” You exclaim. “Everyone, this isn’t a drill. I need you to follow behind me in an orderly fashion. I promise I’ll get you to safety, but I need your cooperation!” The students, too scared to comply, run around vigorously. “EVERYONE!” You shout. “I WILL GET YOU TO SAFETY BUT I NEED YOU TO FOLLOW BEHIND ME IN AN ORDERLY FASHION!” The students get in line as you grab a weapon and proceed down a hallway to a shelter.

You’re suddenly stopped by a large purple mech with one optic. “Do not be alarmed.” He greets, stoic. “I am here to collect humans who will serve under Lord Megatron collecting energon, as well as other tedious positions. You do not have a choice in this matter so I encourage you to cooperate.”

“LIKE HELL YOU ARE.” You respond, holding your weapon, your hands shaking. “Don’t touch these kids.” A group proceed down the hallway to be grabbed by eager minicons. 

“You are willing to sacrifice your life for meaningless children?”

“Yes. I am, and I will.” You say assuredly, pointing the weapon at the mysterious mech. 

“I see.” He picks you up in his palm, his fingers curling around your form. “Judging from your appearance, it is clear that you work in the EDC’s science department. Am I correct?” You don’t entertain him with an answer, still pointing the weapon at him. “I will take that as a yes. Given your circumstances, I take it you have never used a device of this caliber.”

“I helped design it-“

“Indeed, but that does not determine your ability to use it. You are out of practice.” 

“But I CAN and will use it. This means that ALL of us could be injured out of improper use.”

“Fair point, though your bluffing does not impress me. Might I suggest a compromise?”

You’re out of options. You nod your head.

“Your life for theirs.” Your heart is pounding outdo of your chest from his inquiry. “No harm will come to you no matter your choice. If I allow these students to leave, I will collect you instead. However, if you wish to run, I will collect the students.” 

“I don’t believe you.” You’re powerless. Curse your motives. “Free them now, and I promise I will not run.”

“I admire your logic.” He responds, commanding the minicons to come to his side. The students all run in the opposite direction as he holds you in his palm. “And now - your weaponry.”

“That wasn’t a part of the deal!”

“It is now.” He states simply. The minicons collect as many weapons as they can and follow the large mech forwards. “It seems fair that given you depleted any human resources , I take something else of yours.” He carries you to his ship, and sets you down on a panel. “Lord Megatron will be much more pleased.” 

With that you are dragged onto a ship, frazzled, confused, while minicons raid your place of business. You don’t know who this mech is, but you really wish that your Shockwave would save you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the read. Happy Thanksgiving! Hopefully I’ll be more active here


End file.
